Have you ever wondered, why certain things the Apostles spoke and believed, were practically omitted in much of our teachings?

In truth, some admonishment and words of reproof were stressed very little, or ignored when it came to the leadership. God is opening the eyes of people today who are truly desiring to know Him more, and follow Him in every way they can. I fear that we too often, did not have the freedom to seek more.

If we choose to look closely, we can see that the early Church, had problems also. This idea of shunning people who do not follow your theology, is not new. Lording over God’s heritage, is not new either.

Even pushing out or forbidding certain people who are truly called and chosen of God, didn’t just start in our time. We can now choose to seek the following of the Spirit and know more truth, or we can stay as we are. It would likely be correct to say, that much of what we’ve seen in Churches down through the years, was also in the early Church. The apostle’s writings, show their corrections.

I believe, that so much of what we’re speaking of here, was right in front of our faces in God’s Word. May we suggest, that all of us go back to the third epistle of John? There were brethren who were sent out from the LORD and the Apostles, to go to the Churches and preach what they had learned and been shown by the Spirit.

There was this one man, that did not want to recognize their place in the Church. He would not receive them and he forbid others to do this also. It says, he “threw them out.” The Spirit wants to teach here.

And why did this person in leadership do this? It was because he loved the preeminence among those in the Church.

He would not receive John’s letter and he did not receive the brethren who had been sent to that Church. Preeminence, what does that mean?

It means that he loved being in a higher position than everyone else. He loved being superior to all others; lofty and higher, than anyone else.

You see, everything written in that Book, was for our very own example. Our lack of true Spiritual interpretation, has cost us.

This apostle goes on to clearly state, that others should not follow this man’s example. He stated, without falter, that to behave in such a manner, was evil. Why do you feel the Spirit is speaking such things, at this time?

It’s because this attitude and spirit, has been so prevalent among us; and still is in other places. So many people have been hurt and deeply injured by this belief and action. There is such a horrendous animosity, that arises if you question this kind of authority. It is too much about power, and control.

To be sure, this meant that messengers who were sent to that Church, were pushed away; as it says, even thrown out. The Word of the LORD, the real admonishment and teaching of the Holy Ghost, moves of the Spirit that could have changed lives forever, were to be quenched and denied.

My God have mercy! What have we missed, that we could have had all this time?

• A deeper walk in the Spirit; being used in the exact way God called us for.
• That real perfection of the Body, was and is thwarted.
• The Spirit, hindered.

It does not matter how you were driven out; and many indeed were, just as Ezekiel and Jeremiah said they were. Some may wish to shut that off in the Old Testament; that no longer matters to God. We can have what we want of the Holy Ghost today, and nobody can stop that.

God did not put gifts and all the ministries in the Church, for others to take them out, and not receive them. We must search the scriptures for ourselves, and minister to others who yet feel so lost. With strength, made perfect, in weakness.

 

~ Robert Blackburn

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Robert Blackburn

 

 

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